Infected Wounds
by Triforce Champion
Summary: Sometimes a wound needs to be reopened in order to heal. It needs to clean itself out in order for one or both people to move on. Cloe Jemm discovers this when she finds that her past relationship with none other than David Moss is effected her ability to move on with her life and find love again.
1. Prologue

He watched as the tears welled in her already bloodshot blue-green eyes, and couldn't believe it, couldn't believe he broke her trust, broke her faith in everything... he broker her, simple as that. She'd already been crying because he broke up with her, but he couldn't let her find out after it was too late.

"Cloe, I-"

"No, David, don't even. I don't want any apologies. Just... just go," she managed to choke out through tears.

He couldn't believe what he'd done, how badly he'd hurt her. The entirety of yesterday flashed before him as he watched her break down in front of him.

* * *

***Yesterday Afternoon***

"Cloe, are you sure you're okay?" David asked the blond woman as he stood at the end of the couch next to her head. His own blondish-brown hair was spiked slightly this particular day, in the way that made Cloe giggle and comment that it "looks like sex hair after sleeping after sex for a few hours."

"Does it look like I'm okay?" Cloe retorted, looking up into the dark gold of his eyes. "My head feels like it's imploding and exploding at the same time and I can't breathe through my nose."

"But what about the movie? We were supposed to go see The Wolf of Wall Street tonight."

"I'm sorry, honey, but I'm not going when I won't be able to focus on it and enjoy it."

Disappointed, David nodded in understanding. She never made him do anything when he didn't feel good, and he felt bad whenever she did something for him willingly when she didn't feel good. He wasn't about to force her to go when she was in her own Hell. But he really did want to see that movie.

Almost as soon as he thought that, his phone vibrated in his pocket and his text tone of an explosion went off. Fishing the device from his jeans, he touched the screen to select the text he saw from Taylor, Cloe's cousin. She asked him if he was still going to the movie tonight. Quickly thinking of a plan, he looked down at his girlfriend, who was still laying on the couch breathing through her mouth in an attempt to clear out her nose.

"It's alright if I go without you then, right?"

"Yeah, I'm not your mother. I don't need to go everywhere with you. You can still go see the movie, don't let me being sick stop you from having a good time," she told him, smiling up at him as she said it.

"Great, so I can bring Taylor?"

Cloe paused when he said that, but didn't say no. She didn't want to stop his good time, he knew that. He also knew she wasn't entirely comfortable with Taylor coming with him, but if she didn't blatantly say no then he wasn't going to not go with her. If Taylor wanted to go with him, then they were going to go to the movie.

"Is that a yes?" David asked her. Cloe only nodded and rolled over on the couch. David kissed her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Yeah yeah, just come home on time, okay?" Cloe said, lightly pushing his shoulder and smiling slightly.

"See you tonight, honey," he said then left the house.

* * *

***After the Movie***

He looked out of the car windshield at the sunset on the ocean. He knew he was going to be late coming home, but she'd said it herself; she wasn't his mother, she shouldn't really care. He felt a hand touch his arm and he turned to look at her, the hazel eyes and brown hair jumping out first, followed by the smile he probably would never be able to forget. Something settled in his belly as he realized what this really meant, something both good and bad. He had been sitting out here with this woman for hours, just talking, something he and Cloe hadn't done in a long time. He felt the connection before he was willing to acknowledge it.

"David, there's something I need to tell you..." Taylor's voice floated through his head as she spoke. Then the seriousness of what she said registered, and he looked at her.

"What is it?" He asked when she didn't say it right away.

"I.. I think Cloe's planning on breaking up with you..." She bit her lip as she looked at him, her hand wringing in her lap.

David stilled his movements as the statement settled in. Cloe, planning on breaking it off with him? But, he thought they were doing so great... The hurt from the situation set in, and anger quickly took its place.

"I don't know why she would, but I don't doubt it. If she wants to be like that then fine. I'll just end it before she can with me. I don't need her!"

He looked over at Taylor as he said it, and realized something that made his heart tighten at the entire situation. Then she spoke.

"For the record, I would never leave you.. You're... you're everything I could ever want in a guy, and Cloe doesn't know what she's giving up..."

Before he knew it, they were kissing and fighting for the backseat, clothes coming off and lips on skin that would otherwise be covered.

* * *

Cloe paced her living room as the clock continued to tick, her worry escalating with every click the clock made. She felt nausea rise in her throat, and the bathroom was the next place she was, looking into the white of the toilet bowl as her small dinner swirled in the clear water in the bowl. Tears began streaming down her face as she realized David wasn't coming home tonight, and with no word from him as to why, her mind jumped to the worst.

Hoping his sister and her best friend, Ashley, knew what was going on, Cloe grabbed her phone and called the woman's number. She answered on the third ring.

"Hello..? Cloe do you know what time it is?" Ashley's tired voice sounded from the other end. Cloe managed to hold back a sob before answering.

"D-David's not h-home yet.. Do.. do y-you know where h-he might b-be?" Her voice shook too much, she wasn't entirely sure Ashley understood her.

"Cloe? Are you speaking English? What's wrong?"

Cloe took a deep breath before trying to answer that again.

"David hasn't come home yet.. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?" She asked again, this time slower to prevent hiccups.

"David's not home? I haven't heard anything, no. Last I knew he was at a movie. I thought he was going to be home two hours ago?"

"That's what I thought too, but that didn't happen..." Cloe answered, cracking her thumb the way she only does when she's nervous and feels like something is her fault.

"He's a grown man, Cloe, I'm sure he's fine.. Don't worry too much, okay? If he's not home by tomorrow, then we'll search for him."

"Okay..." Cloe answered, sniffling as she ran through the possibilities of where he could be, skipping over one in particular because she refused to believe he would ever do that to her.

"Good night, Cloe," Ashley said as she hung up the phone.

Cloe put her phone down and sat on the edge of the bed, the one she'd be sleeping alone in tonight, and as it would turn out, every night after that.


	2. Chapter 1 Twitter Conversations

***Close to Halloween the same year***  
Cloe laid on her couch with her red panda, Nabu, laying on her stomach and her phone in her hand. She hadn't seen David or Ashley in nearly 4 months now, since he moved to LA in California and Ashley moved with him because she didn't want to live with their mother. Shortly after they'd left, she and her friend Zoe came across a zoo that had small red panda cubs they couldn't keep because they were closing the red panda exhibit. She and Zoe took the male and female. Cloe took the male, and named him Nabu and Zoe named the girl Nala. Now they had grown and were fully grown red pandas, and just as adorable as before.  
With a start, Cloe realized how close to Halloween it was and she had no idea what to dress as. Not only that but she was moving out to California before the holiday, so she had to figure out what would be good for LA weather instead. Being incredibly thankful for the cosmetics class she took with Ashley in college before she and David...broke up...she quickly decided to tweet her predicament to someone, someone she knew still dressed up for Halloween.  
Triforce_Champ: Hey Sohinki you wouldn't happen to have any ideas for a costume would you?  
A few moments later, her phone pinged with a reply she hadn't expected.  
Sohinki: Triforce_Champ Nope. I don't plan on dressing up until the last minute for a party I'm sure I'll have to go to. Sorry.  
Triforce_Champ: Sohinki It's alright, I so didn't even expect you to reply, I just figured since I'm moving out there I'd need a more temperate costume  
He didn't respond after that but she still smiled at that. He had indeed remembered her handle, this wasn't the first time he's responded to her and even basically admitted to remembering it. Regardless, she moved Nabu off her and stood up, stretching and looking around the small cabin she would be moving out of. This place had been her home since she and David fell out, and now she was moving out to California to hopefully further her possible career in video games and entertainment. Not to mention Ashley wanted her to move out there too. It didn't take much but Cloe agreed, and packed up immediately and looked for a house. And she'd found one, and was catching the flight tomorrow. She didn't even want to think about the amount of money it took to make this possible, and didn't want to think about who helped to get her out there.  
She looked down at her phone again when it pinged with another twitter notification.  
Sohinki: Triforce_Champ You're moving out here? When?  
Triforce_Champ: Sohinki Tomorrow morning. Why?  
Sohinki: Triforce_Champ Just wondering. Maybe we'll run into each other and not even know it.  
Triforce_Champ: Sohinki That would make my entire life :D  
He didn't respond to that either but she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, the biggest one she was sure she'd had the past 4 months, possibly even her entire life. Now to figure out what she was going to dress as for Halloween.

* * *

***The Next Day, LA Airport***  
As she shoved her last bag into the back of Ashley's car, she couldn't help but have her heart in her throat. She was really in LA, and there was a large possibility of meeting people she'd looked up to and been thankful for, and she wasn't sure how she would handle it. She sat in silence in the car, and Ashley babbled about how nice it is here despite her knowing how much Cloe hates the heat. Quickly the subject changed to her job as Smosh's costume designer, and Cloe's ears pricked when she heard the way she said a certain man's name.  
"You have a crush on Joshua?"  
Almost immediately, Ashley's face was red and her eyes focused solely on the road.  
"Is it that obvious?"  
"Yes." Cloe replied, giggling at her friends embarrassment.  
"He has a girlfriend though, so it's not going to happen, like ever. It's Erin, the model."  
"So? She kinda looks like you, so what's stopping you? What about that breakfast you make for him all the time?"  
"I don't think he even knows I exist, Cloe. Not like Sohinki knows you though. He talks about you all the time, and has no idea what you look like or act like in real life!"  
"Wait, what? He talks about me?!"  
"Yeah. You're making him fall for you, chicky. He doesn't want to admit it, but he really freaking likes you and there's no doubt about that."  
Cloe couldn't think of anything to say to that. The only thought in her head was holy shit. Could she have possibly done what she never thought possible?  
_**Were those tweets enough to really do that?**_


	3. Chapter 2 Surprise Internship

***A Year Later, at a Halloween Party***  
Cloe looked around under the black hood she was sporting. As an assassin, she was probably the only one there that put a lot of work into her costume other than Ashley, who was dressed as Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7, in an attempt to catch Joshua's eye, Cloe was sure. She just might too, because Erin had broken up with him for someone else.  
They were at the Smosh Games and Clevver office building, the Halloween party that Ashley was invited to and was told to bring a plus one, and selected Cloe, who rushed to put this costume together, and added a few things to make her more of a ninja assassin rather than one from the Assassin's Creed franchise. With the black hood and silver lining on the edges of the hood that went down into the body of the long sleeve jacket she was wearing, she wore a belt with a Triforce buckle and shoulder straps over top of it to add straps to hold things with, the sleeves going down to cover her hands, those also lined in silver. The bottom of the cloak flowed to her ankles, and she wore silver shorts and a silver shirt barely visible through the corset type wrap thing she had on over the cloak. Fake, non-sharpened hidden blades where on her forearms as well, but there was no way for them to injure anyone. In addition to to that, her neck, mouth, and nose were covered by the top of the shirt she had on, as it was made as a "ninja" shirt. She knew the silver would make her eyes really blue or even grey, but that only made it even cooler for her.  
As Cloe walked around the party, having lost Ashley a long time ago to The Jovenshire and Lasercorn, who was trying to keep his sister from falling for his friend and failing, she nearly ran into someone. She turned and smiled at them, but realized he wouldn't be able to see the smile.  
"Sorry, my peripherals are kinda blocked in this."  
As soon as she spoke, the green of his eyes registered, immediately followed by the height.  
"It's alright, I wasn't watching where I was going either." When he spoke, she knew exactly who he was, and he saw his ears shift slightly, showing he was smiling under his own face covering, also having come as a ninja. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Cloe, would it?"  
"Yeah. How'd you know?" She asked, looking at him and facing him entirely now.  
"Your belt buckle. Triforce Champ, right?"  
She couldn't help the blush and the excitement that bubbled up inside her, but she managed to keep her cool and answer calmly.  
"Yeah, that's me. Hi, Matt," she answered him, waving slightly with her left hand letting the sleeve shift somewhat, and she saw his eyes flash to her hand.  
"What's the ring for?" She could tell he was trying hard not to be blunt, but he needed to ask the question.  
"Oh this?" She asked, pointing to the band on her left hand ring finger. "It's my graduation ring. I got it in place of a class ring because I didn't want a giant decal on my finger but I still wanted a ring. Plus my mom, well step mom, got one exactly like it so I still wear it considering I moved across the country."  
"Shouldn't that be on your right hand though?"  
"I can't stand wearing rings on my right hand. As a writer, it digs into my finger as I write and it annoys me as I write."  
"Ah that makes more sense."  
Cloe paused for a second while looking at him, then said, "You thought I was engaged or married didn't you."  
"I may have possibly had that thought for a split second. I mean I hadn't heard from you or about you in a year, and honestly it wouldn't have surprised me if-"  
"Just stop now before you dig yourself a hole, Matthew." She couldn't help but giggle as she said it though, and Matt let out his own chuckle.  
"Sorry," he spoke, moving the cover off his mouth and nose as she did the same.

* * *

***Later That Night***  
Matt couldn't believe the connection he felt instantly with this woman, surprising himself as he sat with her at the back of the party. Since she'd removed her own hood, he noticed her eyes wouldn't stay the same color. They would go from blue to green to sometimes gray if she was looking down at her hands or something. He also noticed a purple tattoo on the back of her left hand, and recognized it was a lone triangle.  
"Want to explain the tattoo?" He asked her, making her look up at him and lock eyes.  
"It's a piece of the Triforce."  
"It's purple though?"  
"It's the mysterious missing middle piece."  
"Ah, you're big on fan theories then?"  
"Yeah, it helps with my creativity and helps me think of something to write about when I have writers block about my other things."  
"You write fanfiction?"  
"Yep. That's what I started with. I believe I told you that in a letter I sent you a while ago."  
"Oh yeah I remember that. You ranted more than anything though."  
"Yeah, sorry about that," she blushed as she apologized.  
"Don't worry about it, it was kind of adorable," he blushed slightly as well, and looked back at her as they locked eyes once again.  
"Um... th-thanks."  
"Cloe! There you are!" Ashley came out of no where, Joshua behind her looking drunk, as Matt had expected.  
"Hey Sohinki. This is Ashley, remember? She dressed us for the AC4 video we were in once she was finished with Ian and Anthony.  
"Yeah, hello Ashley," he answered.  
"Cloe, it's been a year, you've been here a year, I think Ian and Anthony want to talk to you. Josh here would too."  
"He's drunk he shouldn't make this decision," Matt spoke up before Joshua could.  
"Then you do it. Ian and Anthony just wants one of you guys to be there."  
"What's this about?" Cloe asked as she stood up with Matt.  
"Go find out." Ashley pushed her toward the door in the back where Ian and Anthony where standing.  
Matt walked over there with her and looked at Ian, who answered the unasked question.  
"We have a job offer for the little assassin here."  
"Serious?" Cloe said from next to him, her blue-green eyes widening as she looked between the two men who ran the company.  
"Well, it's not really a job, it's an internship, but with some luck you might be able to stick around and actually be paid by us." Anthony chimed in to set things straight.  
"This is actually happening?" She asked, still looking completely shocked.  
"That's what you went to college for, isn't it? Entertainment and video games? Well here you go. Ashley recommended you actually, when we realized we were running low on hands here with the upcoming year and agenda we have. Hopefully you can live up to what she said about you." Ian answered, extending his hand to the shocked young woman. Not once hesitating, Cloe took his hand and shook it once, doing the same to Anthony.  
"You'll be working in the Smosh Games office with the guys, hence why I wanted one of them over here to make the decision. I take it Josh is drunk?" Ian asked, looking at Matt.  
"Yeah, so I came instead."  
"Well, say hello to your new intern." Anthony said, and Matt looked at Cloe, smiling at her.  
"Hello, Cloe, and welcome to Smosh Games."  
He extended his own hand, and Cloe took it, shaking his hand, and they smiled at each other as they locked eyes. He couldn't help the warmth he felt when their hands connected, either.  
_** What was happening to him?**_


End file.
